Alpine Halo 9 vs Kenwood DMX8019

[Blitz]

I deliberated for many weeks over the merits of these two units, opting for the Kenwood unit.

Now I've had it for a few weeks, I thought I'd share my experience.

The unit itself was easy to fit. I also opted for the reversing camera as I'm still in the middle of my build and this was relatively easy to run the cabling through the cabin.
The reversing camera for the Kenwood is around £75, this was on the the plus points as the equivalent Apline version was in the hundreds.

I also replaced the standard speakers and tweeters with Blam versions.

You have to purchase an interface kit & mounting kit along with additional cables for radio, steering wheel functions, DAB etc.. This is bloody expensive!!

The unit itself looks good and neat in the original location.
The sound is just 'ok', although I think it would benefit from a sub under the drivers seat and some fettling with the equaliser.

You have to use the supplied crappy mic cable for your phone microphone, this I would have thought should have been supplied with the interface cable, but apparently that's not available. This you need to route this up the A pillar and across the roof trim and as I hate these things looks terrible.

It's a touch screen unit and works really well with Apple Car play. This is a wireless version and one of the many plus points for the Kenwood.
However, because it's touch screen and the orientation of the unit means when light hits the screen all you can see are dirty finger marks, it also makes viewing of the screen difficult.
I've tried cleaning with a lint free cloth, but looks like I'll need some cleaning fluid to remove the marks, (need to check in the manual).

I have no experience of the Halo unit, however it's more expensive as is the reversing camera. (That said I would seriously consider it now I've had the Kenwood!!)
The ability to adjust the orientation of the larger screen is a big plus point though. I don't know if and how much the interface cable would be either.

Cheers
Ollie.

Any pics of the head unit. Think I have prob a similar but more basic version fitted

 

[OllieGBR]

Debated the same and ended up fitting the DMX8019 myself a couple of months back, and as you say soon adds up with all the trim & adapters!

Really happy with it so far & loving android auto, but know what you mean about the finger prints... I've got a microfibre cloth & bottle of glass cleaner permanently in the door! I went with a connects2 reversing camera, again massive pain to fit in the tailgate, but well worth it, image is so clear.

That microphone was a bugger to get in the factory position!

Yet to upgrade the factory speakers, but have been looking at Blam 8" components set and mini amp, as dont think the Kenwood output is much greater than factory?

Good point Nick, have you considered any Amps yet? One small enough to fit behind the dash would be cool.

 

[VanDamMan]

Good point Nick, have you considered any Amps yet? One small enough to fit behind the dash would be cool.

For Kenwood

 

[nickwt6]

Good point Nick, have you considered any Amps yet? One small enough to fit behind the dash would be cool.

From posts on here previously, I'm considering the vibe micro amp from Skipton, just cash has been going elsewhere on the van recently, getting it camper ready.

There's a thread somewhere on here where someone fitted it behind the glovebox & trimmed the plastic housing behind the stereo to accommodate the additional wiring, all looked straight forward.

Looks a no brainer when I get round to it, just can't make my mind up on speakers yet.

 

[czmate1999]

Was about to post something about this very subject... I already have the Absolut5 extreme signature set-up and just need a good head unit that can be powered by both the vehicle and leisure batteries. Would like wireless Apple CarPlay and not a ‘sticky‘ screen... what are the options for a T6 other than the Alpine, kenwood and Pioneer?

 

[Absolut5]

Debated the same and ended up fitting the DMX8019 myself a couple of months back, and as you say soon adds up with all the trim & adapters!

Really happy with it so far & loving android auto, but know what you mean about the finger prints... I've got a microfibre cloth & bottle of glass cleaner permanently in the door! I went with a connects2 reversing camera, again massive pain to fit in the tailgate, but well worth it, image is so clear.

That microphone was a bugger to get in the factory position!

Yet to upgrade the factory speakers, but have been looking at Blam 8" components set and mini amp, as dont think the Kenwood output is much greater than factory?

we do some superb 8” upgrades with a plug and play compact digital amp, Most 8” door speakers need a amp to drive them regardless of headunit

 

[Absolut5]

Was about to post something about this very subject... I already have the Absolut5 extreme signature set-up and just need a good head unit that can be powered by both the vehicle and leisure batteries. Would like wireless Apple CarPlay and not a ‘sticky‘ screen... what are the options for a T6 other than the Alpine, kenwood and Pioneer?

all good quality screens are capactive and all will suffer from finger prints, no different to your phone, iPad etc

 

[Absolut5]

From posts on here previously, I'm considering the vibe micro amp from Skipton, just cash has been going elsewhere on the van recently, getting it camper ready.

There's a thread somewhere on here where someone fitted it behind the glovebox & trimmed the plastic housing behind the stereo to accommodate the additional wiring, all looked straight forward.

Looks a no brainer when I get round to it, just can't make my mind up on speakers yet.

Drop us a pm, il go through various setups all plug and play and a compact digital amp again plug and play

 

[czmate1999]

all good quality screens are capactive and all will suffer from finger prints, no different to your phone, iPad etc

Hi Absolut5,

Could you PM me a cost for all three installed and which one you would recommend and why?

Cheers!

CZ.

 

[nickwt6]

Drop us a pm, il go through various setups all plug and play and a compact digital amp again plug and play

Thanks @Absolut5 will drop you a pm

 

[GingerDub]

Halo9 Full Side

• Donk
• 5 Mar 2020
• aftermarket head unit

Halo9 Front

• Donk
• 5 Mar 2020

Halo9 Side

• Donk
• 5 Mar 2020

HDMI Dash Socket

• Donk
• 5 Mar 2020
• dash dash board switch television

Utilised the front dash USB and added an HDMI socket to a spare blank in the dash.

How did you fit the HDMI connection? Is it just a male-female HDMI lead that plugs into back of the Halo? Thanks

 

[Donk]

How did you fit the HDMI connection? Is it just a male-female HDMI lead that plugs into back of the Halo? Thanks

It came with the HDMI lead. I just bought one of these HDMI Socket and then threw away the face plate to leave the small HDMI socket as found this was just the right size to Dremel into a spare switch blank on the dash.

 

[osman]

Very good. It’s nice having the bigger screen. It’s rock solid and there’s no wobble or bouncing around at all over bumps etc. It’s got a good amount of adjustability to fit the screen where it suits you. It was a bit more fiddly to install than just popping in a regular head unit ‘box’ though.

I like the sound it produces and it’s easy no navigate through the different screens. I prefer to keep the colour scene fixed on dark rather than it adjusting according to the light conditions as I just prefer the colour scheme.

Would I buy another one ... yes I certainly would.

Having gone to hell and back with a kenwood unit and their absolute shite after sales service .. I’m seriously considering this unit .. having had it fir a while now do you still recommend this one ? I’m holding out for a wireless car play version but in the present situation with tech waiting periods I may be dead before it arrives ..

 

[Donk]

Yes I do like it. I would fit another one for sure.

 

[osman]

Yes I do like it. I would fit another one for sure.

So no issues with reversing camera steering wheel controls etc

 

[Donk]

Nope. All been working fine.

 

[osman]

Nope. All been working fine.

Great I’ve just ordered one from alpine

 

[osman]

I fitted the previous model Kenwood head unit to my last van and was really pleased with it but this time I ordered a Halo9. Just waiting for it to be delivered - hopefully tomorrow so I can get it fitted ASAP. Hoping it'll be nice and rock steady.

Hi do you have any advice on installing this unit .. it’s doing my head in working out how the supplied parts fit together .. there are basically zero instructions ..

 

[Donk]

The leads should pretty much marry up. Did you get a suitable ISO harness to go with it?

 

[osman]

The leads should pretty much marry up. Did you get a suitable ISO harness to go with it?

Thé wiring is fine although they (alpine ) have to send me a cable for my reversing camera .. it was getting the damn dual din arrangement with the plastic shelf and front trim panel together pulling out the slider etc and knowing when to install the screen it’s very fiddly and in the end i installed then realised the screen has to come off yet again to get the original vw panel back on ( air vents ) it’s a sod to install and of course if you need to get back in to re do any additional wiring the screen has to come off every time ... jeez .. however I do like the unit it’s very well made very solid and suits a vw t6 far better than the kenwood units in my opinion . Even if the kenwood has far more features and higher resolution it’s still a small screen and dust underneath it is inexcusable..kenwood are also extremely unhelpful . I like alpine uk they have been immediate with any response.
Regarding the wiring there are a lot of cables I have not connected lol I guess these would be to do with the climate controls air con etc etc I have no idea I’m only familier with the audio and sat nav side the steering wheel controls all seem to work .